This invention relates to a fluid treatment device and method. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, this invention relates to an apparatus and method to recover hydrocarbons from fluid streams.
In the course of producing and refining hydrocarbons, operators produce fluid streams that contain impurities. As those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, produced streams contain hydrocarbons that require separation. Many times, an operator may wish to discharge the produced stream into a body of water, or inject the produced water into predetermined subterranean zones. Government regulations address the content of the discharge fluid streams. Also, operators do not wish to be the cause of pollution. Therefore, various types of prior art separation devices have been developed. However, prior art devices suffer from several deficiencies. For instance, in order to adequately separate the water from the hydrocarbons, large pieces of equipment are required. A large foot print (area occupied by the separation equipment) is needed. However, many times hydrocarbons are produced and/or refined in remote areas where space is a premium.
Hence, there is a need for a device and method that will effectively and efficiently separate hydrocarbons and other impurities from an effluent. There is also a need for a device and method that can be used with various types of fluid streams. Also, there is a need for a device that can be used in conjunction with other type of prior art separation devices. There is also a need for a device and method that creates a small foot print. These and many other needs will be met by the following disclosure.